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Saturday’s NBA slate is on the smaller side. There are three games to choose from, and the main DraftKings slate gets underway at 7:00 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into some of the top options to consider at each position.
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Point Guard
Stud
Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns vs. Indiana Pacers ($7,800) – Saturday’s slate is a small one, so there aren’t a ton of stud options to choose from. Point guard is particularly thin, especially if Malcolm Brogdon (questionable; $7,400) sits out for the Pacers.
However, Paul is worth some consideration. He’s been a solid source of value recently, returning value in six of his past nine games, and he’s scored at least 45.5 DKFP in back-to-back contests. The Suns also have one of the best matchups of the day vs. the Pacers, and their implied team total of 116.0 ranks second on the slate.
Other Options – Jrue Holiday ($7,700), Josh Giddey ($7,000)
Value
Donte DiVincenzo, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Sacramento Kings ($3,300) – The best matchup of the day belongs to the Bucks, and it’s really not even that close. They’re taking on the Kings, who rank eighth in pace and 27th in defensive efficiency. The Bucks are currently implied for 122.0 points, which is the top mark on the slate by a sizable margin.
DiVincenzo is a cheap way to get some exposure to the Bucks. He’s priced at just $3,300, and he should see at least 20 minutes in this matchup. That’s not a ton of playing time, but DiVincenzo has averaged 0.77 DKFP per minute this season. That should be enough to give him a chance to return value.
Other Options – George Hill ($3,400), Rajon Rondo ($3,400)
Shooting Guard
Stud
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns vs. Indiana Pacers ($8,900) – Booker has been on a heater recently. He’s scored at least 28 points in four straight games, and he’s increased his production to 1.25 DKFP per minute over the past month. He benefits from the same strong matchup as Paul, and he owns arguably the highest ceiling on the slate if Giannis Antetokounmpo (doubtful; $12,100) ends up sitting.
Other Options – Mikal Bridges ($5,000)
Value
Cameron Payne, Phoenix Suns vs. Indiana Pacers ($4,600) – If you’re looking to go cheaper with the Suns, Payne is always a viable option. His minutes are typically capped at around 23, but he makes up for it with strong per-minute production. Payne has averaged 1.01 DKFP per minute over the past month, so he has the potential to pay off his price tag in limited minutes.
Other Options – Grayson Allen ($4,000), Jeremy Lamb ($3,300)
Small Forward
Stud
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Sacramento Kings ($8,700) – Middleton should be asked to carry the load Saturday for the Bucks. Jrue Holiday ($7,700) is still playing limited minutes while working his way back from an injury, while Antetokounmpo has been downgraded to doubtful. Middleton has seen a team-high usage bump of 6.4% with Antetokounmpo off the court this season, resulting in an average of 1.26 DKFP per minute.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Bucks PF/C Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) and SG/SF Grayson Allen (hip) have been ruled out tonight vs. the Kings.
Other Options – Lu Dort ($5,300)
Value
EDITOR’S NOTE: Pacers PG Malcolm Brogdon (Achilles) and PG/SG Caris LeVert (calf) have been ruled out Saturday vs. the Suns.
Chris Duarte, Indiana Pacers @ Phoenix Suns ($5,200) – The Pacers have the potential to be pretty shorthanded on Saturday. Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner remain out of the lineup while Brogdon and Caris LeVert ($7,900) are questionable.
Even if Brogdon and LeVert are active, Duarte should be asked to carry a sizable workload. He’s coming off 38.5 minutes in his last outing, and he’s scored at least 47.25 DKFP in two of his past three games. He’ll face a difficult matchup vs. the Suns, but Duarte is simply too cheap at $5,200.
Other Options – Cameron Johnson ($4,300), Isaac Okoro ($3,800)
Power Forward
Stud
Lauri Markkanen, Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder ($5,500) – Power forward is one of the weaker positions on Saturday’s slate, so going down to someone like Markkanen makes sense. He’s coming off a massive performance in his last game, finishing with 43.25 DKFP over 32.6 minutes. Markkanen continues to play a healthy number of minutes for the Cavaliers, and he’s averaged a strong 0.89 DKFP per minute over the past month. He’s also been priced down to just $5,500, making him a bit cheaper than usual.
Other Options – Evan Mobley ($7,500)
Value
Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder ($5,100) – Love’s salary has come back to reality. He was priced as high as $7,600 earlier this month, but he’s down to just $5,100 on Saturday’s slate. That makes him an excellent buy-low target. Love isn’t playing as many minutes as he was back then, but he’s capable of racking up fantasy points quickly. He’s averaged 1.35 DKFP per minute this season, so he doesn’t need more than 20 minutes to potentially pay off his current salary.
Other Options – Isaiah Jackson ($3,800)
Center
Stud
Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Sacramento Kings ($6,700) – Portis continues to get no respect across the industry. He routinely racks up 32-plus minutes for the Bucks, and he’s averaged 1.15 DKFP per minute this season. Portis also owns one of the best individual matchups at the position, with the Kings struggling against opposing centers this season.
Other Options – None
Value
Richaun Holmes, Sacramento Kings @ Milwaukee Bucks ($4,300) – Holmes is officially back in action for the Kings, and he logged 27.9 minutes in his last contest. That makes him massively underpriced at $4,300. Holmes has averaged 1.03 DKFP per minute this season, so he has the potential to destroy this price tag if he sees a comparable workload vs. the Bucks.
Other Options – Goga Bitadze ($4,700), Bismack Biyombo ($4,200)
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